EXPLORE THIS STORY
FINLAND PERSPECTIVE
ZELENSKY SACKS ARMY CHIEF SYRSKY AFTER A WEEK OF PROTESTS IN UKRAINE
DOMINANT ANGLE
Helsinki is gauging the open rift in Kiev between a contested presidential authority and an army that, for the first time since the invasion, is publicly airing its disagreement with the government.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Helsinki, July 22, 2026. The Finnish press is closely covering the most significant military reshuffle since the start of the war in Ukraine: the dismissal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, who has been replaced by Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, previously assigned to the General Staff. According to Helsingin Sanomat, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the decision on Tuesday via Telegram, citing "long-standing tense relations" between Syrsky and former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed the previous week. Zelensky claims to have offered Fedorov a "suitable" position as inspector of defense technologies.
For the Finnish media, the issue goes beyond a simple reshuffle: it has triggered a week of protests across Ukraine. Ilta-Sanomat recalls that thousands of people, including veterans and young people, have demonstrated under the slogan "Bring back Fedorov," denouncing the dismissal of a minister credited with the development of Ukraine's drone war. In an editorial, the newspaper describes Fedorov's dismissal as a "gigantic mistake" by Zelensky, estimating that the president is "already backpedaling." Iltalehti specifies that the protesters had set an ultimatum for the president until Friday, demanding both Fedorov's return and Syrsky's departure.
However, the Finnish press highlights an inverse divide within the military institution itself. According to Ilta-Sanomat, the commanders of the navy, airborne troops, and territorial defense publicly defended Syrsky over the weekend, deeming "unacceptable" the suspicions targeting the armed forces. Navy Commander Oleksi Neizhpapa, quoted by the newspaper, warned that "pitting people against each other in times of war divides our society and plays into the enemy's hands." MTV Uutiset notes that this reshuffle is part of a series of presidential decisions that "baffle" both Ukraine and its European partners, with the international press, including the New York Times, seeking deeper explanations than the official version.
The Finnish press thus presents two competing interpretations: a president tightening his control over the military-political apparatus in the midst of war, and a weakened power forced to compromise with a mobilized street and a divided army questioning the legitimacy of its own commanders.
KEY POINTS
- Finland's neighboring country, Ukraine, has seen a development where Zelensky appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, previously at the general staff, to replace Syrsky, as announced on Tuesday on Telegram, according to Helsingin Sanomat.
- In a situation being closely watched by Finland, protesters had given the president an ultimatum until Friday to secure Fedorov's return and Syrsky's departure, as reported by Iltalehti.
- From Helsinki's perspective, military commanders, including those from the navy, airborne troops, and territorial defense, have publicly backed Syrsky against protesters, with Navy Commander Neizhpapa deeming the suspicions "unacceptable", as covered by Ilta-Sanomat.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Finland's capital, Helsinki, is home to critics of Zelensky, with Ilta-Sanomat labeling the dismissal of Fedorov as a "gigantic mistake" in a signed opinion piece.
The Finnish press shows a preference for independent Ukrainian sources, relying heavily on The Kyiv Independent and Kyiv Post over direct government communications.
Finnish media outlets provide limited coverage of the operational consequences on the front lines, focusing instead on the internal political crisis and barely touching on the impact of the command change on ongoing combat.
SOURCES (4)
Does this analysis seem accurate?
